(Newser)
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Former Saturday Night Live scribe and current Minnesota Democratic Senate hopeful Al Franken hatched the idea for last night’s sketch mocking John McCain—raising tough political questions for the program and NBC, Politico reports. Critics raised concerns about the propriety of a politician playing a role in an attack on a candidate from the rival party. Franken's involvement may also fuel claims that NBC has a liberal bias, Politico notes.

Current SNL head writer Seth Meyers wrote the sketch, but it emerged from a comment Franken made to friend Lorne Michaels, the producer of the show, according to sources. Meyers later called Franken to discuss the piece. The candidate’s input could hurt his campaign, which has come under fire in the past for some of his controversial comedy.